“We believe that timing is an art, but it is really a science.” – Daniel Pink

While we intuitively know that timing is important for the big moments – proposing marriage to a significant other, asking for a raise, etc., – many of us don’t scrutinize our timing as thoroughly when it comes to the routine decisions of our everyday life. New York Times bestselling author Daniel Pink spoke at SXSW 2018 to share some of the findings highlighted in his most recent book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing.

“You know this in your gut. You need to know this fortified by the science, our cognitive abilities don’t remain static over the course of the day.”

In the opening of the Featured Session, Pink asserts that although there is a wide body of research conducted on timing in various fields of science, much of the conclusions remain siloed within their fields of expertise. His book (as well as this Featured Session) compiles and curates this research into one place to provide actionable advice for everyday situations.

Pink’s session focuses on three key concepts – the time of day impacts performance, the importance of taking deliberate breaks, and the importance of endings. Beyond that, there are many informative side-bars and digressions to learn from such as his implementation of caffeinated naps, or ‘nappucchino’.

“I’m convinced the science of breaks is where the science of sleep was 15 years ago. That it’s deep enough to give us new insights, and it’s about to penetrate the public consciousness. We should be taking more breaks – and here’s the key – we should be taking certain kinds of breaks.”

Watch the full 2018 SXSW Featured Session below to learn how to fine-tune your timing, how to increase productivity by taking breaks, when to have your morning coffee, and much more.